


What Comfort We Can

by lankyguy



Category: The Legend of Hercules
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-27
Updated: 2014-01-27
Packaged: 2018-01-10 04:53:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1155316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lankyguy/pseuds/lankyguy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sent on a dangerous mission by his father, King Amphitryon, Hercules takes comfort in the arms of his captain on their voyage to Heliopolis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Comfort We Can

**Author's Note:**

> Hercules (Alcides) has just learned of his heritage, but does not go by his true name until later in the movie's version of the myth.

Captain Sotiris watched Prince Alcides pace the deck with a heavy heart. He could see that much lay on the broad shoulders of the young man. He turned away and stared out into night. 

"What troubles you?" Alcides came to stand beside him.

"I do not want to add to your worries, my friend."

"Sotiris," Alcides started to reprimand him.

"King Amphitryon didn't post my full company," Sotiris said, "He halved it - just before we left. There's a campaign on the way, two divisions lay idle and he halved it. We do not know what awaits us in Heliopolis..."

"Sir, when do we make for land?” the the ship's captain, Lygdamis asked.

"We'll sail thru the night, and make landfall at the next sunset and then camp," Sotiris told the captain.”I want to get as far away from Tyrins as we can tonight. Tell the men to get what sleep they can, they row in the morning.” The two ships, Greek penteconters, had twenty five oars on either side. They had a hundred and fifty men in all, eighty soldiers and seventy others, priests, manservants and crew, not including himself, the ship's captain and Prince Alcides. Their cargo was what food stores they could carry and the horses.

"How much longer until we to get to Egypt?” Alcides asked.

"Four days, if the wind stays like this,” Lygdamis looked at the sky.

"Let's hope it doesn't get worse,” Sotiris frowned.

"Aye," Lygdamis agreed.

The next night the ship lighted on a beach on Rhodes, off the coast of Anatolia. After unloading the horses the men worked together, and by virtue of the light wood that made up the penteconters, lifted the ships and beached them.

“Why did we not make for a port?” Alcides asked as they watched the men set up camp.

“Blame me,” Sotiris said, “Lygdamis wanted to, but something is not right in all this and I would rather we left as light a footprint of our journey as possible.”

"There is a village I know, nearby,” Lygdamis offered.

“Good, see what provisions we can buy from them," Sotiris said, “But we’ll keep the men in camp. We're only here for the night, let's make it a peaceful one."

Night fell quickly. The men had successfully hunted several boar and an impromptu feast commenced. Wine had been bought from the village, and fresh water pulled from a nearby creek. 

_A good sign,_ Sotiris thought. _Or might have been, had the King not hobbled us from the start._ Dark clouds hung over his mind. 

The camp was a sea of men, loosely divided by _mora_. Helot manservants tended the fires and baggage. Songs sung and games were played. Sotiris raised a hand in greeting to shouted hails as he made his way to the altar.

Little more than a raised platform with coals on it, the altars had the remains of a sacrificed sheep burning on it. The priest nodded as the Captain approached.

"Zeus," Sotiris muttered, kneeling near the altar, a motion in the corner of his eye caused him to looked up, ”My prince.”

"Please Sotiris, call me by my name, we've known each other too long, unless you want me to call you ‘Captain,’” Alcides knelt next to him.

"Fair enough," Sotiris smiled. "What do you pray for?"

"The same as you, I imagine," Alcides said, "Our safe and swift return home."

“Not to ‘success?’"

"I think that might be too much for even the high god to provide."

"Blasphemy," Sotiris said, a wry smile in his words. He sighed. "It is late, and dawn comes early,” the captain stood up and turned away.

"If I might," Alcides began, "Come see you in a bit, in your tent."

"Of course, my friend."

Later, lying in his tent on a bed of thick woolen cloaks and linen cloth, Sotiris wondered what lay so heavy on the mind of his friend. His father had been a trusted confidant and mentor to King Amphitryon, and though he had known Alcides all his life, they had not seen each other in some years.

he shook his head, remembering the look in Alcides’ eyes when they passed each other in the throne room, after the prince had been captured. 

_Poor Alcides, to have fallen in love with the woman his brother coveted._ Though, in truth, he knew Iphicles coveted anything that Alcides loved. Sotiris heard a rustle outside his tent, “Come."

The large frame of the prince filled the small tent. Not for the first time Sotiris noted how handsome and well-formed his friend was. Alcides had removed most of his gear and wore only a simple chiton.

"Sit," Sotiris indicted the softer woolen cloak of a _rigea_ , for his royal guest. The young prince nodded and folded himself into a sitting position. Shifting positions several times, he finally gave up and leaned forward on an elbow, in toward his captain. Sotiris smiled broadly at his friend's awkwardness. 

Alcides looked around the small pavilion style rectangular tent, "You've no _kline_ to sleep on, only the skins and linen, and what, only one folding chair?”

"I'm no general, only a poor captain. Carrying around furniture would look bad to the men, the tent is more than enough."

"Your humility does you credit, my friend," Alcides said warmly and grasped the bearded man affectionately by the neck. They stared each other in the eye for a long moment. "We have been too long apart," Alcides demurred, breaking the contact.

"We we're just boys, not yet even striplings when last we saw each other," Sotiris agreed.

"You've always been dear to me, I looked up to you, wanted so much to be like you."

"You make it sound like I am an old man. I'm not that much older than you," Sotiris protested playfully. “Where did all this come from?” Sotiris ran a hand over Alcides broad chest, pulling back the loose tunic as he did. _All this indeed._

"After I turned seventeen and left the boys, my tutor Chiron sent me to Lacedaemon, to train.”

"That explains it, Spartans! It did you good to get away from the palace. If only Iphicles had done the same,” the captain caught himself. “I am sorry, my prince, I spoke out of turn.”

“No, you are quite right. Iphicles and I were close when I was young, when I came back from Sparta, his mind had turned cruelly."

"I remember him as always being jealous and petty,” Sotiris ventured again, “I think you give him too much the benefit of the doubt."

"He is my brother," Alcides said sadly. 

"Fair enough, my prince,” Sotiris said, "But I am not sure..."

“Captain, I find myself in need of such succor as only a man may provide," Alcides said in a soft, low voice, “I like when you say ‘my prince.’”

The uncharacteristic tone stopped Sotiris for a moment, and realization dawned him. "There are many men in camp, Alcides," Sotiris protested, "Some very handsome men. Why me?"

“The thought is not pleasing to you?” the prince asked.

“I am just taken aback is all,” Sotiris said firmly. “It would be an honor, and - I cannot say that the thought has never occurred to me. You were always handsome and have only grown more so. But again, why me?”

“I told you, I looked up to you. I was infatuated with you when I was a boy. When you became a stripling and found an erastês, I was heartbroken. Then you left to the army, following your father’s footsteps… then I saw you at the palace… Sotiris, you have grown only more handsome.”

"You flatter me," Sotiris blushed.

"Not at all," Alcides said fatly, then his face turned dark, "If this campaign is as hopeless as you imply..."

"I didn't mean that," the captain started.

“No. You did, and I agree. My father…” Alcides voice trailed off.

Sotiris leaned back, his mind a jumble.

"If this campaign is hopeless,” Alcides continued, his voice now confident, “Then let us find what comfort we may.” 

Alcides reached forward and slid a hand under the linen sheet covering Sotiris. The prince ran a hand along the captain’s thigh, royal fingers teasing the hair on the underside. Sotiris sighed and shifted on his elbow, opening his legs wider for the prince.

Lifting up the linen sheet, Alcides’ exposed his captain’s plump cock. "Is that because of me?” the young prince grinned, his thumb lightly grazing Sotiris’ ball sack. 

"You know full well it is, you tease. It's been stiff since you walked in,” Sotiris moved against the prince’s hand.

Alcides turned over onto his stomach. Pulling his chiton off he presented his backside to the soldier. Sotiris smacked the prince’s large plump rear with a hard slap. Using his hands to spread the cheeks apart, one thumb teased the brown rosette. Alcides groaned and pushed back against the thumb. Sotiris chuckled, and lay a soft kiss on one of the fleshy mounds. 

“Not so fast, my prince,” Sotiris slapped Alcides’ ass again, leaned back on his rigea and laughed. 

Alcides turned around, a confused look on his broad face.

Sotiris knew how many could mistake the prince’s lack of guile as stupidity. He pulled the large man close with an hand on his neck, “We will get to that in due time, for now I would taste your lips.” 

The prince laughed and pulled Sotiris’ body full against him. The captain was amazed how little effort that took for the Alcides. _So strong, he is a wonder._ They shared a deep kiss.

“You taste of mead and sweat and salt,” Alcides moaned.

“You like that?” Sotiris murmured in the prince’s ear as the larger man’s hands explored his body.

“It is - intoxicating,” Alcides said.

The captain kissed Alcides lightly on the neck, then behind the ear. Sotiris’ tongue traced a line down the prince’s shoulder, whilst using one of his thumbs to tease one of Alcide’s large nipples. The other hand lightly ran down the prince’s torso making him squirm.

“You are amazing,” the young prince writhed against the captain.

"The men," Sotiris whispered.

"Let them find heir own partners," Alcides smiled. "I will not share you."

**Author's Note:**

> Liam McIntyre's portrayal of Sotiris brought this on.


End file.
